History of deVOL

The growth of deVOL over the decades has bucked the trend in British Manufacturing, from humble beginnings has grown a renowned design led manufacturer of bespoke kitchens, interiors and bathrooms, all designed and built in Leicestershire, England.

deVOL was founded in 1989 by two design graduates from Loughborough University, Philip deVries and Paul O’Leary. The name deVOL is an amalgamation of their initials. The two business partners renovated antique furniture and designed and made bespoke furniture for clients from their small rented workshop. After 10 years Philip set up a property business and Paul bought a Georgian shop on the High Street in Quorn to showcase deVOL’s range of freestanding kitchen furniture.
Soon after, deVOL started to get some recognition for the quality of their craftsmanship in interior magazines like Country Living and on TV programmes such as Grand Designs. deVOL was soon making kitchens for clients across the UK and expanded their workshops, taking on new cabinet makers on a yearly basis. deVOL bought a premises on Jubilee Drive in Loughborough in 2006 and opened a second workshop 100 meters down the road in 2011.

Robin McLellan was appointed Managing Director in 2011 having joined deVOL as a placement student 5 years earlier. Ben Flannaghan, our product designer came on board and helped produce a range of handmade Home Accessories which were in production by 2011 and featured in magazines as desirable home products.
deVOL's position as one as of the few remaining design led furniture manufacturers was reinforced in 2012 by the launch of the Air Kitchen range. This exclusive contemporary kitchen, inspired by vintage classics was designed and developed by our in-house product designers in our growing design offices and uses cutting edge materials.

In 2012, we purchased Cotes Mill, a historic 16th century water mill on the banks of the River Soar, just outside Loughborough. We moved our kitchen showrooms from Jubilee drive in Loughborough to the beautiful mill in January 2013. We now have four floors of showrooms displaying not only our four kitchen ranges but also an eclectic mix of vintage furniture, gifts and unusual home wares, sourced from all over the world and bought especially for Cotes Mill and our discerning customers. Cotes Mill is set in twelve acres of natural meadows and tended gardens and is home to lots of incredible wildlife, including a family of fallow deer, peacocks, guinea fowl, chickens and wild birds.

In 2013 we added bathroom cabinets to our Real Shaker range, offering simple yet elegant solutions to bathroom storage and utility. We are continually designing and making new and exciting pieces to add to all our ranges.

2014 saw deVOL open its first showroom in Clerkenwell, London. The showroom is situated at the end of the Exmouth market in the heart of London’s design district. The showroom features a shaker kitchen with a classic prep table and allows us to meet with our London based clients.

In 2015 we launched the award-winning Sebastian Cox Kitchen. We worked with British designer Sebastian to create a kitchen that utilises sustainable British timber. It’s a culmination of good taste, modern innovation, traditional techniques and true inspiration.

deVOL as a company is always moving forward, we are passionate about design and have evolved from kitchens into interior products too. At the beginning of 2016 we opened up a small ceramics studio at Cotes Mill and employed a few very talented graduates from local universities. We now have a collection of unusual and beautiful deVOL ceramic kitchenware, splashback tiles, pendant lights and kitchen sinks. Most recently we have launched a classic bar stool, machined from one lump of solid oak, it has already been a resounding success.

The deVOL group of companies, which includes Floors of Stone, now employs over 150 staff; most of them local craftsmen and design graduates from Loughborough University.

In summer 2016 we decided that we were ready to open the doors to another, all the more impressive East London showroom. Situated in the inspiring and historic area of St. John’s square and just a leisurely ten minute walk away from our Tysoe Street showroom, stands an 18th century three storey town house now featuring the best of our Classic English furniture along with key pieces from our Real Shaker range.

This amazing space has also given us the opportunity to show our customers that we have evolved into much more than just a kitchen company. With our thriving collection of beautifully hand crafted and practical objects for the home, we are gradually fulfilling our ambitions of becoming an inspiring and innovative design house.